Without thinking, Nitrelain jerked backwards, and pulled hmiself free of the sword. It was not long before he realized his mistake.

"AAARGH!" He screamed as pain more horrible than he had ever felt ripped through his stomach, and he collapsed spasming to the floor.

Lying there on the weed-ridden dusty trail, he was only vaguely aware of Joya and Kara, staring at him only five paces to his side, but powerless to stop his fate. He was going to die right here in these woods.

Looking up to the sky, he lay back his head as he began to accept his end, and gave a start, his sword was no longer lodged in between the two branches of the wood elm beside him. Slowly, he reached his hand down, and grasped the hilt of his weapon, which was now sheathed on his side.

The surprise of finding this caused him to jump up aloud with a small yelp, and his hands shot to his stomach. Yet the searing pain he had been expecting did not come. In fact, he could not feel any pain at all coming from his stomach. Looking down, he carefully undid the lower two buttons of his shirt, and peered at the wound he had given himself.

What he saw was his own stomach, unharmed in every way, with not even a scar to show for it. He searched the spot the sword had exited and found the same thing, not a scratch. The shock of this nearly caused him to faint again, but it only took one look at Kara to steady his feet.

Joya's eyes narrowed further, but she said nothing. She merely looked around the dark forest. "When you are ready, we should leave this area."____________________________________________________________________

The Lord of the Hunt roared with laughter. This was entertaining prey indeed! He strode into the clearing, pulling his great sword as he did. The sword was fully as long as an average man was tall. "By all means, demon, I'm in the mood for a good fight."

The demon belowed out of his arms to short swords dropped made of black steel each blade was reathed in flames. The demon picked them up and sneered at the Huntsman, he charged right at the man at the last second he jumped up and aimed a hooved kick at the Huntsman's throat.

Kara looks at him with schock wondering how a mericle like that could have happened. She smiles slightly. "I'm fine...but...how are you though?" she asks looking at where the sword was pulled and sees no signs of it ever being there in the first place. She looks up at him once more placing her arms around him. "I was afraid...I thought you were going to die..." she said happy that he was alive.

Still in shock from the episode with the sword, and slightly embarassed by his outburst with Kara, Nitrelain turned his head so that neither woman would see him blush. Without any better notion of what they could do, he settled himself and turned back to Joya.

"Well, I think we had best let those two demons alone and head for the city. maybe we can help the injured......if there are any after that...that thing got to em"

As if on cue, a horrendous crash from the south announced the battles commencment.

Joya did not bother to correct him. She merely nodded. "I will take you to the city, then." She wanted to fulfill her agreement, and get these people out of the forest. "Come on, then."______________________________________

The Lord Huntsman clashed with the demon. The demon tried to kick him, and he was duly impressed by the thing's speed. The demon's hooved foot sped unerringly at his unprotected throat... and through it. The demon flew straight through him, and after it passed, he became material again and slashed at it with his great sword.

Another pain filled her thoughts, her village...was it destroyed too while she was out here? She looks down at the ground. "Yes...we probly should go..." she begins to follow Joya afraid of what she might see once she gets to the town. She bites her lip nerviously thinking of who might have gotten hurt...would it have not happened if she was in her town in the first place not at the lake?